Wire cloth



' June 23, 1959 R. E. LOVETT 2,891,584

' WIRE CLOTH Filed Feb. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR I fit'cm i z/a, Z

ATTORNEYS.

Unite States Patent WIRE CLOTH Richard E. Lovett, Dixon, Ill., assignor to National Standard Company, Dixon, 111., a corporation of Dela ware Application February 17, 1958, Serial No. 715,582 12 Claims. (Cl. 139-425 The present invention relates to improvements in woven wire cloth.

Woven wire cloth, as currently produced, is made up in various widths, utilizing various sizes of woof and warp wires, and having various size mesh openings, depending upon the intended use of the cloth. Such cloth has numerous industrial applications, and for certain uses the cloth is cut to provide narrow widths of cloth, or small sections or pieces, of a desired size. When the cloth is cut to provide narrow widths, or small sections or pieces, the warp edges thereof have a multiplicity of sharp projections of woof wires which present difiiculties in utilizing the cloth for certain applications, in addition to the difliculty and possible injury to the person in handling of the material. Moreover, in utilizing conventional wire cloth, cut into narrow widths or small sections or pieces, the outer warp wires tend to unravel and become disconnected, thereby leaving woof wire projections of increased length, which sometirnes render the cut piece of cloth not usable for the intended purpose.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel wire cloth having one or more ribbons of wire braid or Woven wire woven into the cloth, in lieu of one or more warp wires, with the ribbons located in zones where the cloth is to be slit, to produce widths or sections or pieces of a desired size. I

Another object is to provide an improved wire cloth of the character indicated which, when out into narrow widths orsmall sections or pieces, eliminates long projections of woof wires.

A further object is to provide an improved wire cloth of the character indicated which, when out into narrow widths or small sections or pieces, eliminates unraveling of the outer warp wires thereof.

Still another object is to provide an improved wire cloth of the character indicated, by virtue of which narrow widths or small sections or pieces may be provided by slitting along the ribbons, and by virtue of which it is possible to obtain a greater degree of close tolerance, and which eliminates the necessity for alteration of the width, such as would normally occur, as a result of cutting down along warp wires of conventional wire cloth.

A still further object is to provide an improved wire cloth of the character indicated, by virtue of which narrow widths or small sections or pieces may be provided by slitting along the ribbons so as to provide, along one or both of the warp edges of the severed parts, a multiplicity of relatively small mesh openings, which is of great advantage when such edges are embedded in and bonded to plastic material.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of an entire width of web of wire cloth embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view, of approximately twice actual size, of a fragmentary portion of screen cloth cut from a web of wire cloth, including at opposite marginal edges, portions of a pair of adjacent ribbons of wire braid, as indicated at A, in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view, taken as indicated at line 3- 3 on Figure 2 of the drawings.

Figure 4 is a warp edge view of the section of wire cloth represented in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of wire cloth, of approximately four times actual size, corresponding to the area indicated in dot and dash outline, designated at B, in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of wire cloth, of approximately four times actual size, cor-' responding to the area indicated by the dot and dash outline, designated at C, on Figure 2 of the drawings.

Figure 7 is a greatly enlarged sectional view, approxi mately eight times actual size, taken substantially as indicated at line 77 on Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a section of my improvide wire cloth shown in the general form of a cylinder.

The wire cloth illustrated in the drawings, in the main, is made up by weaving of the usual woof wires 10 and warp wires 11. The selvedge edge of the web of wire cloth is formed in the usual manner by returning the woof wires, and looping them around a pair of marginal warp wires 12.

In the process of weaving the wire "cloth, in lieu of one or more warp wires, I substitute where desired, special warp elements, indicated at 15, which are in the nature of ribbons formed of a plurality of sets of wires woven together and disposed in crossed relation, and forming a fine open mesh, with the wires of the said sets extend= ing diagonally relatively to said woof and warp wires of the cloth. I have found it highly satisfactory to utilize special warp elements in the nature of wire braid, wherein the Wires of the braid are of substantially less thick ness or diameter than the woof and warp wires of the cloth proper, and which braid provides a multiplicity of relatively small mesh openings, such as may be seen in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings which figures, as above indicated, are of a scale approximately four times actual size.

As may be seen in the drawings, the width of each of the ribbons or special warp elements shown, correspond to the overall width, at the outside, of three adjacent warp wires. The width of the ribbon employed may be varied, depending on the specific form and use of the end product to be cut from the improved form of wire cloth.

The improved wire cloth is preferably slit along one 'or more of the ribbons woven therein so as to produce material of a desired width from which may be severed sections or pieces of cloth of a desired size. As illustrated in the drawings, I have provided special warp elements in such locations that slitting may take place medially of each of the special warp elements of the ribbons to produce material of a width equal to the distance between the medial planes of two or more adjacent special warp elements or ribbons. The material so severed may, for convenience in use, be Wound into coils, and subse quently severed into desired lengths. It is to be under stood that the ribbons may be slit at any desired plane throughout the width of the ribbons to produce material of a desired width, with the same attendant advantages.

By utilizing ribbons of fine mesh material, such as wire braid, the warp edges of the severed portions are more nearly continuous. This is so because the ends of the multiplicity of small wires of the ribbon material are disposed in alignment, with and intermediate the cut off ends of the woof wires 10, all of which are in relatively close relationship.

When sections or pieces of wire cloth that are required for certain uses are of uniform size, so that proper spacing of the special warp elements 15, in the process of weaving of the wire cloth is attainable, the woven Web of cloth may be slitted or cut so that a pair of opposite warp edges of the severed part, such as seen in Figures 2 and 8, include a portion of the special warp elements or ribbons of woven wire or wire braid. The portions of the ribbons at opposite ends of the severed sections of the woven material provide relatively continuous edges because of the relatively close relationship of the wires comprising the ribbon and the woof wires, as may be seen in Figure 7 of the drawings, which is shown eight times actual size.

It will thus be seen that by slitting of the wire cloth along the ribbons 15, there are no long projections of the woof wires, and the ends of said wires terminate flush with the ends of the multiplicity of small wires comprising the ribbons, which makes it possible to more conveniently handle such severed parts of wire cloth with reduced possibility of injury. By virtue of the present invention, the cut ends of the wires, incident to the slitting along the ribbons, eliminates the possibility of unraveling of the outermost warp wires, as heretofore has been the case with portions cut from conventional wire cloth, As may be clearly seen in Figures 2, 6 and 7 of the drawings, there is no conventional warp wire 11, located close to the cut edge of the piece of cloth to become loosened or pulled out. Utilizing ribbons of woven material in lieu of certain warp wires permits slitting of the cloth to closer tolerances and reduces the need for possible altering of widths of severed portions, such as usually occurs when cutting directly along warp wires of conventional wire cloth.

Utilizing ribbons formed of a multiplicity of small woven wires provides a multiplicity of relatively small size mesh openings, which is of a great advantage when one or both edges of the cut sections or pieces of wire cloth are to be embedded in plastic material, such as Plastisol, which does not adhere to metal without a priming coat. For such a purpose the plastic material will flow through the mesh openings and bond to itself, and thereby bonding the section or piece of wire cloth in place without employing a priming coat. Because of the construction of the wire cloth herein disclosed, sections of the cloth having a portion of a ribbon of woven wire or braid at one warp edge thereof, permits embedding of such an edge into plastic material, or the like, to a minimum depth, for bonding thereto, as compared to what is necessary by way of extent of embedding of the edge of a section or piece of conventional wire cloth. With conventional wire cloth, the mesh openings are large and necessitate embedding sections or pieces thereof to a depth to include at least the outermost warp wire, requiring the use of increased thickness of bodies of plastic material. Sometimes such increased depth of plastic material cannot be provided for due to the characteristics or dimension of the article or apparatus involved. This problem is further magnified if the outermost warp wire of the piece of screen cloth unravels or becomes loosened.

The sections of material cut from my improved form of wire cloth are adapted for numerous industrial applications, and in the representation in Figure 8 of the drawings, the section of material is formed as a cylinder which may be used for various applications, such as an air cleaner or a filter element.

The elimination of the substantial length of sharp projections of woof wires, such as occurs when cutting a section of material from conventional wire cloth, is of great advantage in numerous industrial applications, such as where a section or piece of wire cloth is to be embedded in a mounting of plastic material. Such projecting ends of the woof wires sometimes cause damage to the mounting in the nature of tearing or cutting of the mounting material. If the woof wire projections of a section or piece of material cut from conventional wire cloth are too short, then frequently the outermost wire becomes unraveled, leaving a plurality of excessively long wire projections. This condition is so, even when the wire cloth utilized is of the type having lock wires woven therein, intermediate the width of the wire cloth.

When my improved wire cloth is produced with the ribbons of woven wire or braid located so as to permit obtaining cut material of a desired width, including portions of the ribbons at either or both warp edges, the cloth is slit along the ribbons and rolled into coils for convenience in shipment, storage, and finally for use in severing the narrow widths of the material into sections or pieces of desired size.

The wire cloth is woven in multiple width, depending upon its end use, and is hot galvanized to bond the woven wire ribbon or wire braid to the cloth and to provide a protective coating for the entire web of cloth.

Although I have herein shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, manifestly it is capable of further modification and rearrangement without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise embodiment herein disclosed, except as I may be so limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Woven wire cloth consisting of woof wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart, warp wires, and one or more special warp elements interposed between said warp wires, said special warp elements each comprising a ribbon of wire braid.

2. Woven wire cloth consisting of woof wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart, warp wires, and one or more special warp elements interposed between said warp wires, and each occupying a position and relation normally occupied by one or more adjacent warp wires, said special warp elements each comprising a ribbon of wire braid.

3. Woven wire cloth consisting of woof wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart, warp wires, and one or more special warp elements interposed between said warp wires, said special warp elements each comprising a ribbon of wire braid, said braid being formed of wires of less thickness than the woof and warp wires.

4. Woven wire cloth consisting of woof wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart warp wires, and a plurality of spaced apart special warp elements interposed between said warp wires and occupying the position normally occupied by one or more warp wires, said special warp elements each comprising a ribbon of wire braid of a width greater than the spacing between two adjacent warp wires.

5. Woven wire cloth consisting of woof Wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart warp wires, and a plurality of spaced apart special warp elements interposed between said warp wires and occupying the position normally occupied by one or more warp wires, said special warp elements each comprising a ribbon of Wire braid of a width greater than the spacing between two adjacent warp wires, said braid being formed of wires of less thickness than the woof and warp wires.

6. A section of wire cloth cut from a web of wire cloth having woof and warp wires, and a ribbon of wire braid woven into the cloth in lieu of one or more warp wires, said section of Wire cloth being so cut from the web that one edge thereof includes a portion of said braid.

7. A section of wire cloth cut from a web of wire cloth having woof and warp wires and a plurality of spaced apart ribbons of wire braid wherein each ribbon occupies the position of one or more warp wires, said sectlon of wire cloth being so cut from the web that a pair of opposite edges thereof each include a portion of a ribbon of wire braid.

Woven wire cloth consisting of woof wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart warp wires, and one or more special warp elements interposed between said warp Wires, said special warp elements each comprising a ribbon formed of a plurality of sets of wires disposed in crossed relation and forming an open mesh, with the wires of said sets extending diagonally relative to said woof and warp wires of the wire cloth.

9. Woven wire cloth consisting of woof wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart, warp wires, and one or more special warp elements interposed between said warp wires, and each occupying a position and relation normally occupied by one or more adjacent warp wires, said special warp elements each comprising a ribbon formed of a plurality of sets of wires disposed in crossed relation and forming an open mesh, with the Wires of said sets extending diagonally relative to said woof and warp wires of the wire cloth.

10. Woven wire cloth consisting of woof wires, a multiplicity of spaced apart, warp wires, and a plurality of spaced apart special warp elements interposed between said warp Wires and occupying the position normally occupied by one or more warp wires, said special Warp elements each comprising a ribbon formed of a plurality of sets of wires disposed in crossed relation and forming an open mesh, with the wires of said sets extending diagonally relative to said woof and Warp wires of the wire cloth, and of a Width greater than the spacing between two adjacent warp wires.

11. A section of wire cloth cut from a web of wire cloth having woof and warp wires, and a ribbon of Wire woven into the cloth in lieu of one or more warp wires, said section of wire cloth being so cut from the Web that one edge thereof includes a portion of said ribbon, said ribbon being formed of a plurality of sets of wires disposed in crossed relation and forming an open mesh, with the wires of said sets extending diagonally relative to said woof and warp wires of the Wire cloth.

12. A section of wire cloth cut from a web of Wire cloth having woof and warp wires and a plurality of spaced apart ribbons of wire Wherein each ribbon occupies the position of one or more warp wires, said section of wire cloth being so cut from the Web that a pair of opposite edges thereof each include a portion of a ribbon of wire, said ribbons each being formed of a plurality of sets of wires disposed in crossed relation and forming an open mesh, with the wires of said sets extending diagonally relative to said woof and warp wires of the wire cloth.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 141,112 Carpenter July 22, 1873 742,468 Merriam Oct. 27, 1903 783,280 Jagers Feb. 21, 1905 1,866,850 Green July 12, 1932 2,526,738 Finlayson et al Oct. 24, 1950 

